The field measurement of sediment transport parameters in estuaries

Field measurements have been made in the upper reaches of a partially mixed estuary in order to evolve a system of measurements that would provide insight into the parameters associated with the transport of the cohesive and granular sediment mixtures found in the turbidity maximum reaches of estuaries. Measurements were made with electromagnetic current meters, siltmeters, an Owen tube and an in situ particle size analyser. The data were analysed in order to determine relationships between particulate concentrations, fall velocity, suspension density, turbulent mean velocity and bed shear stress. The usefulness of these initial results and of the experimental techniques are discussed and some ideas for further work are presented.